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The Many Moods of Mister Tom

by Mister Tom Musick

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1.
If I come off as standoffish; scornfully aloof or scoffish Let’s say I’ve been officially barred Banished from the club, vicissituded, dis-moonbeamed, de-blissed it seems I’ve been blacklisted, au-revoired I know a little too much about love I know where the bones are hidden, I know when to pick forbidden Fruit, I know who did and who got done I’ve got the dirt on the bastards, I’ve got pins and I’ve got passwords I’ve had the keys mastered, skeletoned I know a little too much about love If I just knew a little more or maybe a bit less If I was smart enough to play it stupid We might just make a go of it, take a stab, but I guess I know a little too much about love See, I’ve been around the block a few times, yes, I’ve walked the walk and You talk a good talk, but, tell you what - Your end of the bar is fine, you stay there, I’ll stay here at mine Let’s keep our hearts in line, it’s tempting but I know a little too much about love
2.
I'm aware that she's a bit… oh, I'm well aware that she's a bit… Yes, I'm quite aware that she's got fields of expertise Diplomas and degrees don't fit She majored in moonlight and mojokinesis The sky is her blackboard, the night is her thesis Au claire de la lune, she'll sway and she'll swoon She majored in moonlight I'm aware with some might say… oh, I'm well aware what some might say Yes, I'm quite aware that some might tend to nose their thumb At her curriculum vitae She majored in moonlight, minored in the boozes She parlay-vou's français and mingles with muses Au claire de la lune, she'll sway and she'll swoon She majored in moonlight I'm aware there might just be… oh, I'm well aware there might just be… Yes, I'm well aware if there might be, for lack of the right word, something that's not quite really… She majored in moonlight, she lingers in limbo Her arms are wide open, her eyes are akimbo Au claire de la lune, she'll sway and she'll swoon She majored in moon… light
3.
Hang on to your hat when you hang with me, brother I'll laugh with one lung while I sigh with the other I'm winking at you with one eye… the other is crying Don't back away, sister', I'm ancient and harmless Like Venus de Milo, still reaching but armless I'm winking at you with one eye… the other is crying 'Round this table tonight, by the warm candlelight You're all young and so lovely, so lovely and right I am trying To stay cool, debonair, kind of devil-may-care But I can't take my eyes off the one empty chair The drummer is drunk, but the mood just keeps swinging A tear could get stuck in my throat, I'll keep singing I'm winking at you with one eye Pleased to meet you, forgive me if I Shake your hand with my left while the right one is waving Goodbye
4.
Just a contractual clause, the fine print, as it were A hidden contingency, a little disclaimer Those who love do knowingly and willingly incur A significant risk of loss A binding and a most bittersweet stipulation A beating heart is a pre-existing condition As such, any sentimental leap of faith will run A significant risk of loss I miss you, my darling, I miss you, my darling I miss you, my darling, my darling, my darling The undersigned agrees to the terms described above Relinquishing any claims to damages thereof Accepting fully hereby, in reference to love A significant risk of loss
5.
Who would notice? If we took our leave, well, who would even notice? Let's just suppose we sorta moseyed off alone And waltzed right out the door Well, who would notice four less footfalls Softly throwing two less shadows, who would notice An extra two or three smidgens of vacancy? Let's disappear, habibi, who would notice? With a few hundred less unsightly pounds Perhaps the Earth would slightly gain velocity And if astronomers worldwide at that moment raised an eyebrow It could throw the planet off it's course- theoretically Who would notice? If we suddenly were just to up and blow this Proverbial pop stand? When all is cut and canned, My poison oleander, who would notice? Who would notice If we screwed it all and went AWOL my darling? If we could find someway to kind of slip away And kiss all this adieu, I ask you honey, who would notice One less creepy crow and one less sleepy starling That blew the flock and flew away one night into The wild black yonder, truly who would notice?
6.
This party can't be over yet. We only just got here I swear it seems like we just met. You can't just disappear Come on, say it isn't so This party can't be over yet Every foolish hope we hung, every stupid song we sung Every time the rattle of your laughter split the roof and shook the rafters Never will I never will forget This party can't be over yet. We had a rendezvous The candle's lit, the table's set – our little place for two Somewhere no one else would know This party can't be over yet Every love stain that we spilled, every bottle that we killed Every time we sweated over money, when we had it all, ah Honey More than any heart could hope to get This party can't be over yet. How could you slip away? I see a half-smoked cigarette in a still-life ashtray How can I just let it go? This party can't be over yet
7.
It looks like I'm alone, but I'm in constant and delightful company Admittedly I'm prone to hang with dim hopes and slim probabilities Perhaps, most likely not, but if by chance you've got an inkling or some wayward thought pertaining to me and you, I've got a few ideas I'm entertaining They'll come around, they'll stop by, who knows when, with no heads up, without a call They'll show up, they'll just drop by, in the face of social mores and protocol While this could be construed as reckless, if not rude I'm hoping that you'd not be too disdaining Regarding you, I've got a few ideas I'm entertaining One gets plastered and says too much, another gets a bit too touchy-feely One just keeps an empty glass from overflowing, one puts a lampshade on its head Another wishes it was dead. I have to say, it's quite the little party we've got going I'm hooked up with the sweetest of delusions and the least of likelihoods Among the least concretest of delectable what-if's and maybe could's So if you ever find yourself likewise inclined, I'm quite well-versed, I wouldn't mind refraining And yes, it's true, I've got a few ideas I'm entertaining Hey Chris, set them up again, around for all my friends Not one of them it seems has been abstaining Another please for all of these ideas I'm entertaining
8.
Bedazzled 02:53
I've had enough of all this ticky-tacky stuff, baby I've had my fill of all these tawdry little thrills, baby, baby I've been tweaked, I've been twitched, I've been baited and switched I've been son of a bitched and I've been assholed I'm going out tonight, I wanna see the light I wanna get a little bit bedazzled I've sung enough Da Ba Dee blues, baby I've paid a belly full of rinky-dinky dues, baby, baby I've been flipped, I've been floored, I've been knocked overboard I've been mellowed and bottled, I've been shirazzled I'm going out tonight, I wanna see the light I'm gonna get myself a bit bedazzled Blow rock, blow rock, I'd love to stop and talk But thanks a lot, no thank you, not today sir Rock blow, rock blow, no thank you, really no I have to go, I must be on my way, sir I've had enough of all this ticky-tacky stuff, baby I've had my fill of all these tawdry little thrills, baby, baby I've been pumped, I've been plowed, I've been overly endowed I've been pilled, I've been powdered, I've been capsuled I'm going out tonight, I wanna see the light I'm gonna get myself good and bedazzled I'm gonna get myself ba-ba-da-dazzled
9.
I flew a whiskey bottle rocket to the Moon I sailed a dead cat cross the Humboldt Park lagoon I carried February halfway into June To wear this crown, to wear this crown Here in my kingdom I can walk the streets unknown Among my subjects, unexalted and alone I had to fall so low just to ascend this throne To wear this crown, to wear this crown No usurpers staking claim to my prestige No barbarians sapping walls or laying siege Who'd want this empire anyway? Noblesse oblige To wear this crown, to wear this crown I'll love you til the wheels fall off the Lake St. el Until this pearly soul has shed it's salty shell I'll waltz your empty gown around the floor of Hell To wear this crown, to wear this crown
10.
Ain't love the damnedest thing? The heart will boggle at the possibilities The tongue will trepidate, did I mention the knees? It's all Consuming when the act itself is looming Monsieur, Madame, ain't love the damnedest thing? The most delicious of the vices is desire And the addicted always kindle their own fire The embers crackle underneath our cultured airs Beneath our cool, sophisticated derrières Ain't love the damnedest thing? The crows will nudge each other, wink and have a laugh As blind and naked we traipse down the garden path, and once you Go there, well, you ain't going nowhere The gates have slammed, ain't love the damnedest thing? Who would believe a buzz could carry such a sting? What kind of god would cook up such a cunning thing? Who would've known a high could lay someone so low? If you're in for an ounce, my friend, you're in for a kilo Ain't love the damnedest thing? And you, my darling, are the darkest valentine By far the sweetest of misfortunes to be mine, I love you Dearly, but then I'm not thinking clearly You are, I am… and love's the damnedest thing
11.
Nowhere left to turn? You gotta learn how to do Saint Jude's waltz Dazedly nonplussed? Well, let me just walk you through Saint Jude's waltz This is the last dance of not-a-chance hopeless causes Ain't no Santa Clauses, no Wizards of Ozzes round here Step 2, 3 Slide 2, 3 into the night Turn 2, 3 Slide 2, 3 back toward the light Glide through the last glowing embers of hope Ain't nothing to it, what's best you can do it alone Time for letting go, now that you know how to do Saint Jude's waltz No rules or restraint, it's time to paint the town blue, Saint Jude's waltz Have yourself a drink to all the trinkets that you've lost The gimcracks, the gewgaws, the zippity-doodahs of love Step 2, 3 Slide 2, 3 into the night Turn 2, 3 Slide 2, 3 back toward the light Glide through the last glowing embers of hope Ain't nothing to it, what's best you can do it alone Do it when you're done wishing someone could be there, Saint Jude's waltz Do it at the bar, when you're too far gone to care, Saint Jude's waltz Do it when you're through with all the screwy delusions The kissy conclusions, the sweet-dream-come-truesions, let go Step 2, 3 Slide 2, 3 into the night Turn 2, 3 Slide 2, 3 back toward the light Glide through the last glowing embers of hope Three simple steps for the dreams we miskept, Saint Jude's waltz Ain't nothing to it, what's best you can do it alone
12.
In a world where the footing is slippery In a joint even slipperier still At a table where stains are all that still remains Of a kiss, a confession, a spill In this light we are nothing but gorgeous Getting more gorgeous as the drinks flow We're a tragedy, you and me, waiting to happen Never has love stooped so low In a world where the music is deafening In a joint that's more deafening yet Where the lean towards each other is compounded further The closer to closing we get As the lean towards each other is slipping Inch by inch by precarious inch We're a tragedy, you and me, waiting to happen Both of us too dumb to flinch On a stage that's been pelted with produce In a piece that's been done half to death With a cast that would promise the darkest of dramas Half the blood, twice the laughs of Macbeth In a world that would bet on our folly In a joint that would cheer as we fall In an age that would mark us as just two more carcasses Just two more nothings at all In this life that is trying to kill us Love's the least of the poisons we've got We're a tragedy, you and me, waiting to happen I'm not afraid if you're not

about

The Many Moods of Mister Tom, recorded at Maestro-Matic and Shirk Studios by Neil Strauch, brims with perfect rhymes, aching melodies, and melancholic musings. Elevated by the arch-romantic piano stylings of Kuller and the expressive undertones of double bassist Andy Rader, Tom’s cigarette-stained baritone ruminates on folly and fate and the machinations of love. His voice, sanded down by a decade of busking on the streets of Paris, draws the listener into a darkly melodramatic world from the first note to the last.

Since 2014, Musick and Kuller have performed as a duo at Weegee’s, an off-the-beaten-path destination for classic cocktails on Chicago’s West Side, where the lights are low, the drinks are stiff, and every pause is pregnant. Every other Thursday, the spotlight flickers on, and Tom serenades the unsuspecting from his perch at the end of the bar, while Ronnie lays down a bed of roses and thorns at the piano behind him. For a large part of Many Moods, the pared-down trio of piano, bass, and Tom’s distinctive vocals captures the unexpected interior magic of the Weegee’s residency. And then there is the sumptuous delight of those moments when Ronnie, as arranger, uses her symphonic sensibilities (she’s an accomplished composer and bandleader, as well as an occasional accordionist with the Lyric Opera Orchestra and the Joffrey Ballet) to expand into new territory: a 17-piece orchestra conjures a wistful grandeur on “To Wear This Crown,” and a chamber string ensemble intensifies the heart-rending sorrow of “This Party Can’t Be Over Yet,” while still centering the word-perfect lyrics. (The orchestra on To Wear This Crown was recorded by Mat LeJeune at CRC.)

Rader’s double bass sings out a surprising variety of improbable and lovely suggestions on “A Few Ideas I’m Entertaining,” the album’s most light-hearted track. Here, Tom sings: “It looks like I’m alone, but I’m in constant and delightful company/ Admittedly, I’m prone to hang with dim hopes and slim probabilities/ Perhaps, most likely not, but if by chance you’ve got/ An inkling or some wayward thought pertaining/ To me and you, I’ve got a few ideas I’m entertaining.”

Equal parts elegy and ode, wry warning and invitation, The Many Moods of Mister Tom showcases a master lyricist at the peak of his abilities. We know the approach of last call is inevitable, but as long as the bartender keeps pouring, and as long as Tom keeps singing, we can warm ourselves by the radiance of the spotlight, catch the diamond drops in our drinks, and imbibe it all one glass at a time.

credits

released June 9, 2023

featuring Ronnie Kuller on piano
with Andy Rader on bass, Nora Barton on cello, and Billie Howard and Katie Klocke on violin
produced by Neil Strauch
arrangements by Ronnie Kuller
additional engineering from Julie Mitchell
mixed by Neil Strauch
mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering
layout by David Babbitt

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Mister Tom Musick Chicago, Illinois

Mister Tom Musick is touched by your concern and consternation, and he appreciates your morbid fascination, but there’s nothing to be done for him now. The bloom is off the rose, the hour late. The bright dreams of his youth have burned away. And he’s the first to admit he’s got no gallant horse to ride; no hopes or ropes to fling you.

Just let him be the one to sing you down off the ledge.
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